The California Certified Farmers’ Market, run by Everyone’s Harvest, is held every Wednesday from May 15 through October. The market is open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. outside of Building 200, Outpatient Services, located at 1441 Constitution Blvd.

“We are excited to have Chef Sherrie join us again on July 10 to help us continue to promote wellness and healthy eating,” said Natividad Assistant Administrator Andrea Rosenberg. “Sherrie is one of the top chefs in Monterey County when it comes to plant-based dishes and healthy eating, so it’s a great opportunity for the community to learn from her.”

Natividad’s Farmers’ Market features fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables, many of which are certified organic. The market also features a wide selection of food, coffee, flowers, live plants, and unique gifts and services from small-scale family farmers and local independent businesses. Shoppers support local California growers and entrepreneurs in the Salinas community, Rosenberg said.

The Farmers’ Market 2019 lineup also features regular cooking demos and tastings from local chefs, Everyone’s Harvest team members and hospital staff members. Attendees of these demos enjoy a sample of the featured recipe and take home a recipe card. The cooking demonstration dates and chefs are posted at Everyone’s Harvest’s webpage at everyonesharvest.org.

Ransom is a plant-based chef in Monterey County, providing personal chef services, classes, recipe development and consultation.

“I’m very particular about what I eat and know it can be a challenge to find the time and resources to prepare nutritious meals, especially when traveling,” she said. “I’m delighted to be able to provide fresh options for locals and visitors to the Monterey area.”

Ransom earned her degree in biology and went on to complete certification as a Gourmet Raw Food Chef, Culinary Instructor and Nutrition Educator. She was an Instructor for Living Light Culinary Institute before founding Green Being Cuisine. Her dishes and classes highlight fresh, whole foods with a playful appreciation of flavor and texture.

“I’m grateful to live on the central coast. Every week my local farmers offer a wide variety of fresh, organic produce,” she said. “I strive to feature these beautiful ingredients in all their glory as well as share how simple and delicious healthy foods can be.”

No-Sugar-Added Fruit and Chia Pudding Parfait

By Chef Sherrie Ransom, Owner and Executive Chef of Green Being Cuisine

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup coconut milk with vanilla. Stir in 4 tablespoons chia seeds. Set aside.

Allow all three mixtures to thicken for 30 minutes or more, or in the fridge overnight.

In individual parfait glasses or mason jars, begin to build your parfait in layers, starting with the strawberry chia, then coconut chia, then blueberry chia, and finally another layer of coconut chia. Top with remaining fruit and a dollop of the whipped cream topping. Optional: sprinkle with nuts or seeds.

If adding blended fruit (including avocado) to the chia, use less chia or more liquid. Fruit has natural pectin and will act as a thickener.

Prepare in serving size dishes or jars the night before. The next day: grab and go.

The chia pudding can be prepared with any liquid. Try it with juices, teas, nut or seed milks, water.

Chia seeds absorb 10 -12x their volume of liquid. If you garnish a dish with dry seeds, drink lots of water to avoid dehydration. Soaked seeds can offer extra hydration because of the liquid they hold.

Soaked chia seeds can be used replace eggs in a recipe; 1/2 tablespoon soaked seeds per egg.

Ground chia seeds can be used as a flour and binder in a recipe.

Media Contact:

Marci Bracco, Chatterbox PR

marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com, 831-747-7455

About Natividad

Natividad is an acute care hospital and Trauma Center providing high-quality health care to everyone in Monterey County, regardless of ability to pay. Located in Salinas, Calif., Natividad is a public health care system offering a wide range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care. Founded in 1886, the 172-bed medical center has more than 10,000 admissions and 52,000 emergency visits annually. Home to the area’s only Level II Trauma Center, the hospital’s specialized personnel, equipment and services provide a vital local community service that saves lives and keeps patients close to home. Natividad’s Baby-Friendly® facility delivered more than 2,200 babies last year and is affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. It also operates an accredited Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, giving the tiniest and most fragile babies — some as small as one pound — the best chance for a healthy start. Through its UCSF-accredited Family Medicine Residency Training Program, Natividad is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast. For more information, please call (831) 755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.